May 20, 2016

If you have a Social Security disability hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), you probably will leave the hearing without knowing whether you won or not. Most claimants have to wait between thirty and ninety days to receive the ALJ’s decision in the mail. (Sometimes it can take even longer if the judge needs to get additional information.) When you receive your decision and look it over, you still might have trouble telling whether you won or not! The decisions have a lot of information in them, and it can be hard at first glance to figure out what’s important. The first page of your decision will look something like this: The first clue you have about the outcome of your case is the title at the top. There are four possibilities: Notice of Decision – Fully Favorable: Congratulations! You won! A “fully favorable” decision means that the ALJ found that you became disabled as of your alleged onset date and continue to be disabled. An ALJ also issues a favorable decision when the claimant agrees at the hearing to change his or her alleged onset date or to accept a closed period of disability. Notice of Decision – Partially Favorable: This decision is typically mostly good news, but not always. In short, a partially favorable decision is one in which the judge found that you are (or were) disabled for some of the time since your alleged onset date, but not for all of that time. If you received a “partially favorable” decision, it could mean one of two things: The judge gave you a closed period of disability. In other words, the ALJ found that you became disabled as of your alleged onset date (or at a point later in time) but also … Continued

May 17, 2016

Most people who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) end up having to go to a hearing if they pursue their claim after the initial denial. If you live in central Indiana and have a hearing, you will likely end up at the Indianapolis hearings office. The address of the Indianapolis Office of Disability, Adjudication, and Review (ODAR) office is 151 N. Delaware Street, Room 400, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204. The hearing office is in Market Square Center, but most people call it the “Gold Building” due to the gold glass windows on the outside of the building. There is metered street parking and a parking garage east of the building. You should plan to bring money to pay for parking; Social Security does not validate parking for you. Once inside the building, take the elevators to the fourth floor. When exiting the elevators, look to your left and you will see a security officer. It is important to remember that the hearing office is a federal facility, so certain rules apply. The security officer will ask to see valid photo identification, such as a drivers’ license or state ID card. Make sure your license or ID card is not expired! If it is, the judge may postpone your hearing until you obtain valid identification. The security officer will also scan everyone entering the office with a metal detection wand. It is important that you do not attempt to bring in guns, knives, or other sharp objects that could be used as weapons. Once you are cleared by security you should check in at the window and have a seat in the waiting area. The Social Security Administration (SSA) employs Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) to preside over the hearings. The judges are men and women … Continued

April 11, 2016

Many of my clients do not understand why the Social Security Administration (SSA) is so interested in their day-to-day activities. It might help to think about it this way: since you are not able to work, Social Security can’t ask you how your current symptoms affect your work activities. Therefore, they have to look instead at what you are actually able (or unable) to do in your daily life. Social Security refers to these things as your “Activities of Daily Living,” or ADLs. During the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application process, Social Security sends each claimant a questionnaire called an Adult Function Report. This form asks specific questions about how your impairments affect your ability to do what you need to do to get through a typical day. Similarly, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at your hearing will ask questions about your ADLs, including your ability to: Clean your house (sweep, mop, dust, wash dishes, etc.) Shop for groceries Take care of your yard Drive a car Bathe, shower, and take care of your personal hygiene Dress yourself Do laundry Cook or prepare meals Care for children, other family members, or pets Participate in hobbies Spend time with friends Travel on vacations When you answer questions about your ADLs, it’s important to keep in mind why Social Security is asking them. The ALJ is not trying to find out of you are a conscientious housekeeper or if you are an interesting person to hang out with. It can be really hard – embarrassing, even – to admit that you aren’t able to take a shower or wash your dishes as often as you think you should. It is painful for a lot of my clients to realize that it has been years since they … Continued

September 28, 2015

At a recent Social Security disability hearing in Indianapolis, I brought one of my employees along to observe. When I asked my employee for his impressions after the hearing, he said, “I can see why it’s so important to have an attorney with you at your hearing!” Since I represent claimants at hundreds of these hearings every year, I have forgotten what it’s like to walk into the hearing room having no idea what is going to happen. I hadn’t realized all of the little things (and some big things) an attorney can do to maximize the effectiveness of your Social Security disability hearing. Here are a few reasons why I believe it may be in your best interest to hire an attorney or representative to assist you in your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claim. Your attorney can ask you questions the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) did not ask. Without the aid of a lawyer you may be limited to answering only the questions the ALJ asks. For instance, if you are alone at your hearing and the judge is concentrating on your bad knee when your real problem is your back, the judge may not let you discuss your back as much as you would like. You may take for granted the judge knows about your back problems when he/she does not. An attorney who has discussed your case with you and who knows your medical records may be able to give you the chance to testify about issues the judge may have missed when reviewing your file. The ALJs and their staff do their best to be prepared for your hearing, but sometimes your medical file does not paint a full picture of all of your impairments. This is especially true if … Continued

August 31, 2015

You may have heard about the guy who leaves his Social Security disability hearing in a wheelchair, throws the wheelchair in the trunk of his car, and walks easily down the street. Is this an urban legend, or do things like this really happen? As an Indianapolis Social Security disability attorney I have never seen someone fake an impairment like that at a hearing. I have had clients ask me, though, whether they should use or wear their assistive devices at their hearing. My answer is always the same: if the hearing is a situation in which you would normally use your assistive device, by all means use it at the hearing. Otherwise, leave it at home. Your credibility with the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at your hearing is very important. In my experience, if the ALJ thinks you are untruthful about one thing, he may not believe anything else you say either. Sometimes my clients are worried that the judge won’t be able to see how disabled they are if they don’t make a big deal out of their symptoms. They go in to the hearing room acting as if it is the sickest day they have ever had. Believe me, this type of behavior almost always give the ALJ the opposite impression – that the claimant is making things up. For example, the judge may ask a claimant to rate her pain on a pain scale, where 0 is no pain at all, and 10 is pain so bad that she has to go to the hospital. I have heard clients tell the judge that the pain they are experiencing during the hearing is a 10. Obviously, they are not in the hospital; they are sitting in front of the ALJ at the hearing. In my experience, it … Continued

July 2, 2015

Many Social Security disability claimants are under the impression that hiring an attorney will speed up the processing of their case with the Social Security Administration (SSA). While hiring an attorney does not directly translate into a claim being processed more quickly by the SSA, there are many benefits of having an attorney on your case. Benefits at the Initial Application Stage Getting an attorney representative to help you with your initial application for benefits may help your chances of being found disabled. As most disability claimants and attorneys know, the majority of people are denied on their initial application. However, some benefits of our office helping a claimant complete an initial application may include: Helping you obtain a medical source statement from your doctor by providing questionnaires designed to get your doctor’s opinions on specific issues Social Security addresses: Social Security is supposed to give great weight to the opinions of your treating medical providers. Updating Social Security about changes in your condition and treatment: the more complete the medical records Social Security has, the more likely it will have enough evidence to make a favorable decision. Ensuring your application is complete: the application can be overwhelming to someone who has never done it before, but we are able to walk you through and ensure you provide complete and accurate information. Submitting medical records in support of your claim: while Social Security typically requests all of your medical records at the initial application stage, we are able to help follow up with providers Social Security cannot reach. Keeping track of your claim to make sure it is processed in a timely manner: we regularly follow up on each claim to make sure Social Security has everything it needs and to make sure the case is moving forward. While Social … Continued

February 18, 2015

The day of your Social Security disability hearing has arrived, and you are probably filled with anxiety and wondering what it is going to be like. Although I can’t cure my clients of all of their hearing-day jitters, I do make sure I spend about an hour talking to my clients prior to the hearing date so they will know what to expect. I describe what the hearing will be like from the time they enter the hearing room to the time they leave. We also go over all of the questions that the Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) tend to ask during the hearing. One reason I go through these “practice questions” with my client is to prevent the client from being surprised by what the questions are. Another reason is to prevent me from being surprised by how the client answers them. The first questions the ALJ asks you will typically be very easy, including your name, address, and Social Security number. He might ask about your height and weight and whether you are right- or left-handed. The judge may also ask you about your living arrangements – whether you live in a house, apartment, or mobile home; who lives there with you; and your source of income. The best way to answer these questions is honestly and simply. Remember to stay on topic. Most of my clients are itching to talk about their disabling conditions right away, and that is understandable, but the judge needs to get through these questions before moving on. Next the ALJ will most likely ask you about jobs you have performed in the past. Social Security’s disability rules say that if your condition allows you to return to any of the work you have done in the past fifteen years, you are not … Continued

January 23, 2015

You probably have seen television or movie depictions of courtrooms, so you may expect your Social Security disability hearing to take place in a big, old courtroom in a big, old courthouse with lots of pomp and circumstance. Every hearing office is a different, but if you have a disability hearing scheduled in Indianapolis, Indiana, your hearing will most likely be held at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) located at 151 North Delaware Street, Room 400, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis ODAR is on the fourth floor of a regular downtown office building. As you leave the elevator on the fourth floor and turn left, you will see a security officer sitting at a desk. He is there for your safety as well as that of the Social Security staff and Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). The security guard will ask you for valid picture identification, such as a driver’s license, state identification card, or passport. Before the date of your hearing, make sure your identification has not expired! Also be prepared to empty all of your pockets and remove your hat if you are wearing one. You will be scanned with a metal detector, and the security guard will inspect any bags or purses you are carrying with you. You may not carry deadly weapons, such as guns and knives, into the Social Security office. Women carrying pepper spray in their purses will also be turned away. If you have any of these items with you when you come to the hearing office, you will most likely be asked to take them back to your vehicle. Once you have passed the security check, you will be directed to give your name to a staff person at the office window. The staff member will confirm that you have a … Continued

December 24, 2014

All too often, people call me for help in appealing their Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims, only to find out they have waited too long. If Social Security denies your claim for Social Security disability benefits, you have sixty days to appeal that decision. (Actually, Social Security allows five extra days for mailing time, so you have a total of sixty-five days from the date of your denial letter.) If you have not submitted the appropriate forms before the deadline, Social Security will very likely dismiss your claim. If that happens, you will probably have to start all over with another initial application. There can be times when the Social Security Administration (SSA) will accept an appeal filed after the deadline, but they will only do so if there is “good cause” for the late filing. If you forgot the deadline, lost the paperwork, or just didn’t get the forms filled out on time, Social Security probably will not find that you have good cause. On the other hand, if you were hospitalized, had a death in your immediate family, or never received the denial letter because Social Security sent it to the wrong address, there is a good chance that the SSA will accept your late filing. Social Security makes a decision about good cause on a case-by-case basis. The best thing to do is to file the appeal as soon as possible after you receive the denial. How can you make sure you don’t miss Social Security’s filing deadlines? Here are some tips: Keep your Social Security office informed about changes in your address and/or telephone number. Follow up with Social Security regarding your claim. In my office, we follow up about once a month during the initial application and reconsideration stages … Continued

December 12, 2014

Many disability claimants are caught off guard when they receive a notice from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for a scheduled doctor’s appointment. These doctor appointments are called consultative examinations (CE’s). The SSA will sometimes send SSDI and/or SSI claimants to these examinations if they feel like more information is needed to determine a disabling condition. It is important that the claimants attend these CE’s. Failure to appear at a CE may result in the SSA denying the claim. Who are the doctors? The doctors that perform the CE’s are not employed directly by Social Security, but are private doctors that are contracted out by the SSA. In my experience, this can be good and bad. The good part is that since the doctors are independent physicians, they should be evaluating the claimant’s condition objectively. The flip side of this is that since these physicians only see the claimants for a single short visit, (usually around 15 minutes) a thorough evaluation may not be performed. What is the purpose of these exams? The most likely purpose that a claimant is sent to a consultative examination is because of a lack of medical records. If a claimant is claiming a disability, but there are not any or enough medical records to back it up, or the records are from a long time ago, the claimant’s case reviewer will most likely send the claimant out for a CE. Hopefully the SSA will attempt to give the claimant a fair shot despite the lack of medical records, but it is usually best not to rely on a consultative examination to prove your disability. Another scenario that my office sees is when the case reviewer or the judge wants a specific test done that they think could prove or disprove the claimant’s case. … Continued